The York School Library: Gr. 11-12 Extended Essay: Reflections

Students are required to conduct three mandatory reflection sessions with their supervisors. The reflections make up Criterion E (Engagement), worth 6 points of the 34 points possible.

Students must upload their reflections in the Planning and Progress Form on ManageBac
The three reflections together consist of 500 words (The first 500 words only are eligible for assessment)

While there is no specific "due date" for these sessions, the mandatory reflections should fall roughly in the beginning, middle, and end stages of the EE process:

Initial Reflection -- Initial stages of reading & research
Interim Reflection -- substantial outline has been drafted, some text written
Viva Voce -- after final EE has been submitted

Reflection Process: Initial and Interim Sessions An IB video on what the 1st and 2nd mandatory reflection sessions look like.
Reflection Process: The Viva Voce An IB video on what the Viva Voce (3rd mandatory reflection session) looks like.

#1: First Mandatory Reflection

Approximately 150 words.

Reflection prompts:

What am I interested in researching and why? Is there sufficient focus to my research area?
Given the initial reading I have undertaken on the subject, is my research question appropriate for the subject I am submitting my EE in?
Is my research question manageable within the word limit of the EE?
Will my research question allow me to think critically about the topic I am researching? How might I change my research question to allow for more critical thinking?
What questions are emerging? Are these similar or different to my initial questions?
Are my chosen topic and research methods appropriate for the subject I have chosen to complete it in?
How might I go about undertaking this research?
Do I have sufficient knowledge of the subject area to fulfill the criteria of an EE?
Do I have access to appropriate sources?
Are there any ethical issues I need to consider before pursuing this area of research?
Are there any challenges that I need to overcome in order to achieve my desired outcomes?

#2: Interim Reflection

Approximately 150 words.

Reflection prompts:

Do I have sufficient data/information to begin formulating an argument?
If I do not have sufficient data/information, how will I go about resolving this? Can it be resolved?
To what extent does the data/information I have relate to my proposed research question?
Given the data/information I have collected, do I need to reformulate my research question?
Has the data/information collected taken me in an unexpected direction?
Do I want to change course now? Is it too late?
Are there still questions/issues that I am unclear on how to resolve?
Am I keeping to a schedule with the writing process?
Do I have a reasoned argument that can be sustained throughout the essay?
Am I able to make coherent links between different points made and the evidence presented?
To what extent have I answered my research question?
What reasons may have affected my ability to answer my research question?
If I have been selective in the evidence presented in my essay, can I justify my choices?
Is there a clear summative conclusion, and does this reflect the discussion that has taken place?
To what extent do I think I have fulfilled the expectations of the extended essay as a task?
Has my research resulted in me changing my perspective or views on the topic in question?
What strategies have I employed that have worked particularly well at this stage of the process?

#3: The Viva Voce

This is a concluding interview (20-30 minutes) to reflect on your growth as a learner throughout the EE journey, the skills you developed, and the challenges you faced.

Approximately 200 words.

Reflection prompts:

To what extent has my thinking been confirmed or changed about my chosen topic as a result of my research?
What strategies did I employ that proved particularly effective in the research process?
What skills have I developed and how might these be useful in the future?
What improvements might I suggest to my own working practices?
How might different research strategies have impacted my outcomes?
What did I learn about myself as a learner in this process?

Tips for the Reflection Process

In critically reviewing your engagement in the research process, it might help to think in terms of three levels of reflection: descriptive, analytical and evaluative reflection. The table below gives examples of guiding questions to help with this:

Level of description	Example of the kinds of questions students may have asked and answered of themselves
Descriptive	What did I do? How did I undertake my research? What were the problems I faced? Did my approach or strategies change throughout the process? What have been the high and the low points of the research and writing process?
Analytical	Was my research successful? If I changed my approach or strategies during the process, why did I do this? What did I learn from the experience in terms of my understanding of the subject area and/or the skills needed to undertake research? How has my understanding of the topic and research process developed throughout the task?
Evaluative	If I were to undertake this research again, would I do it differently—if so, why or why not? What has affected this? If I did do the research again, would I change the theories applied or the methodological approach? Would this have led to a different outcome? What can I conclude from this? Were the strategies I used for undertaking my research the most appropriate for achieving my outcomes? What, if any, questions emerged as a result of my research that I was not expecting? Would these questions influence my approach if I were to undertake the research again?

These levels correspond to the attainment levels of the rubric for Criterion E (Engagement). Try to ensure that your reflections go beyond the 'descriptive' and engage with some of the analytical and evaluative questions listed above.